


I'd Rather A Friend Than A Lover

by Stubbornness_and_Spite



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Bisexual Shimizu Kiyoko, Bisexual Sugawara Koushi, Fluff, Friendship, Gen, Hugs, I love haikyuu and it's not half as bad with the misogyny as a lot of other shows are, I might add on with more of the third years(including Kiyoko) being friends, Internalized Homophobia, Let me know if I missed any tags, Male-Female Friendship, Platonic Affection, Platonic Female/Male Relationships, Platonic Relationships, Shimizu Kiyoko-centric, Sugawara Koushi-centric, but its still there and i think it should be addressed, ill edit the tags if i do, not a lot but its mentioned
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-19
Updated: 2021-03-19
Packaged: 2021-03-28 15:01:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,007
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/30141351
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Stubbornness_and_Spite/pseuds/Stubbornness_and_Spite
Summary: She's always hated the attention, but she's always had one place that was safe. She had one group of people that were safe. He broke that.Kiyoko talks to Koushi about what he said at the match against Shiritorizawa.AKA: I’m fem-presenting and pissed about media objectification of women. While I am also super gay for Kiyoko. And also really touch-starved and desperate for hugs and/or a friend who is as physically affectionate as Suga.
Relationships: Shimizu Kiyoko & Sugawara Koushi
Comments: 1
Kudos: 15





	I'd Rather A Friend Than A Lover

**Author's Note:**

> Hey, babes, I'm fem-presenting and queer. If the fic I want doesn't exist, I'll write it myself. Less misogyny and less woobifying male characters who show emotions/affection, please! 
> 
> Y’all can’t tell me that the volleyball third-years(including Kiyoko) are friends and then have the boys objectify her. She deserves better than friends who are just slightly less misogynistic than the other people around her. Give Kiyoko friends.  
> I’ve only read some of the manga and I watched the dubbed version of the anime with subtitles, so I have no idea what names these two actually use for each other. If I’m right, then consider this canon-adjacent. If I’m wrong, then please accept my headcanons.  
> I’m so confused as to what the tournament where Karasuno played Shiritorizawa to go to Nationals was called. I’ve gotten like 3 different names. That’s the game I’m referring to in this fic. Let me know if there’s something clearer I can call it.
> 
> *Takes place in an ambiguous timeline in which the match against Shiritorizawa has happened and now they're practicing for Nationals but the training camps haven't happened yet. Roughly November, but in this fanfic world, November lasts as long as I want it to.*

Koushi was grabbing a ball to practice his serve when he felt a small hand on his arm.

“Sugawara-san, can I talk to you?” Koushi’s eyes widened and he froze as he looked down at Kiyoko. Kiyoko, who hadn’t used his full family name, let alone an honorific, since they were first years. 

“Yeah.” He dropped the ball. ‘Do you want to step outside?” She nodded, and Koushi waved over to Ukai and Takeda, who nodded and turned back to the rest of the team. They stepped out of the gym, and the sounds of shouting and volleyballs hitting palms and the ground muffled as the door fell shut. 

Kiyoko stared at her hands as she picked at her nails and fingers. 

“What’s wrong, Ki-” Koushi cut himself off. “Shimizu?”

Kiyoko shook her head. “I’ve been thinking about the Spring Inter-High Qualifier. And I’m so proud of you all!”

“Why do I feel like there’s a ‘but’?” Koushi asked.

Kiyoko bit her lip before letting the words spill out. “I know you didn’t mean anything by it. It was the Tournament and you were stressed.” She forced herself to stop biting her lip and went back to fidgeting with her hands. She took a breath, and all in one breath, said, “But you’re my friend, Koushi, and it hurt that you, of all people, treated me like a sex object.”

Koushi froze and his eyes dropped to his hands. His cold hands. He forced himself to look at Kiyoko’s hands that were starting to shake. He reached over and hovered his hands above hers. Kiyoko lifted her hands up to meet his palms. Koushi wrapped his hands tightly around hers, holding them in the same way she had held his at the Shiritorizawa match, hoping it would comfort her as much as it had him.

“I’m sorry.” Koushi’s voice cracked. “I’m really sorry.” He shook his head and sighed. “Not that it’s any excuse, but I recently realized I might be bisexual, and I’ve been kind of freaking out about it and-”

“Playing up your attraction to girls?” Kiyoko cut in. Koushi nodded. A small smile crossed Kiyoko’s face. “I did that when I realized I was bi in our first year. Well, with boys,” she clarified. “It’s part of the reason I became your manager.” Koushi squeezed Kiyoko’s hands and gently tugged her closer to him. She rolled her eyes fondly and faked a stumble into his chest. Koushi dropped Kiyoko’s hands and wrapped her in a tight hug. Her face pressed against his chest, and she hooked her arms tightly around his waist. Koushi rested his chin in her hair.

“I’m sorry,” Koushi muttered.

“It’s okay.”

“It’s not,” Koushi argued. “If you forgive me, that’s up to you, but that doesn’t make it okay.”

Kiyoko held him a little tighter. “Then I forgive you.”

Koushi closed his eyes. “Do you want me to talk to Daichi and Asahi? Or be there when you do?” He sighed. “I know it was mostly me, and I take responsibility for that, but just because it’s not as bad doesn’t mean you should let it go.”

“Maybe.” Kiyoko closed her eyes and leaned against Koushi. “I don’t want to make them feel bad or distract them.”

“Kiyoko.” Koushi pulled slightly away so he could look her in the eyes, but didn’t let go of her back and she didn’t let go either. “You’re our friend and we want to know if we’re upsetting you. Just like you’d want to know if you accidentally hurt one of us.”

“Alright,” Kiyoko said, giving in. “I’ll talk to them after the first and second years leave.” She leaned in quickly and hugged Koushi tightly before letting go and smiling at him.

A bright smile made its way across Koushi’s face, and he offered her his hand. “Want to go back in?”

Kiyoko laughed softly and shook her head. “They’ll think we’re dating if we go back in holding hands, Koushi.”

Koushi’s grin didn’t fade as he wrinkled his nose at her. “If I can’t be physically affectionate with all my friends, then what am I even doing?” He slung an arm over her shoulders and tugged her into his side. “Come on,” he needled. “Jab me in the ribs if I overstep or if I start being overly polite with you.”

Kiyoko looked up at him and raised her eyebrows. “I’m a big girl.” She slid her arm around his waist, reaching up for a moment to try to rest her hand on his shoulder but eventually letting it settle on his hip. “I can take the Signature Sugawara Smacks.”

“I know,” Koushi reassured her. “I forget sometimes, but I know.” He ruffled her hair. “You’re going to be getting a lot of them to make up for the ones you’ve been missing out on.”

“You might get a few Shimizu Slaps back,” Kiyoko teased.

“Good,” Koushi said with a grin and a snarl. “I like being rough with my friends and I’ve been dancing around that with you since second year when I started noticing girls and it hit me that you were also a pretty girl.”

Kiyoko snorted. “Let me guess. Nishinoya had to point it out to you.”

Koushi flushed. “Ennoshita, actually. After noticing me looking confused at Tanaka and Noya drooling a few too many times.” He paused. “Speaking of, do you want me to make them back off?”

“I can handle them.”

Koushi looked at Kiyoko with a frown. “You shouldn’t have to handle anyone. This should be your safe space, just like it’s ours.”

She shook her head. “It is. They don’t push too far past admiration and they’re sweet about it.” A sly grin spread across her face. “And I don’t mind taking advantage of their jealousy to get some space to breathe around other teams.”

Koushi laughed and hip-checked her. Though his hips were closer to her stomach and she let out a quiet grunt. “Alright,” he said. “Offer’s open if that ever changes.”


End file.
